Paint tray and mounting means therefor

ABSTRACT

An open topped tray having means for supporting the same in a generally horizontal position on a ladder and including a generally U-shaped member having a pair of parallel legs and an intermediate connecting portion. The U-shaped member is adapted to straddle a ladder side rail with one of the legs being disposed in overlying engagement with a ladder rung and having an angularly displaced foot for hooking engagement with the ladder side rail.

United States Patent [72| Inventors Frederick P. Warner 1501 Field of Search. 1 248/210. Eden Prairie; 211.238, 311,21 l/88;220/1, 94; 15/257061 Yoshimi Matsuura. Minneapolis, both of, Minm (56] References Cited [2!] Appl. No. 19,661 UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1 FM Mar-161197" 1.865283 6/1932 Sohnle 248/210 x 1 1 Palfimcd July 20,1971 2,759,620 8/1956 Pharris v. 220/1 [73] Asslgnee Warner Manufacturing Company l 1 Minneapofis, Minn. Primary Examiner-.1. F ranklm Foss [54] PAINT TRAY AND MOUNTING MEANS [51] lnt,.Cl E060 7/14 Atlorney-Merchant and Gould ABSTRACT: An open topped tray having means for supporting the same in a generally horizontal position on a ladder and including a generally U-shaped member having a pair of parallel legs and an intermediate connecting portion. The U-shaped member is adapted to straddle a ladder side rail with one of the legs being disposed in overlying engagement with a ladder rung and having an angularly displaced foot for hooking engagement with the ladder side rail.

PAINT TRAY AND MOUNTING MEANS THEREFOR BACKGROUND OF TH E INVENTION Paint trays, for use with applicator rollers and generally flat pile fabric equipped applicators, have been heretofore provided with hooks whereby the trays may be mounted on the relatively wide flat steps or shelves of step ladders. However,

such hooks have been to no avail for supporting paint trays on- SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The paint tray structure of this invention includes handle means whereby the same may be easily carried by one hand, when a quantity of paint is contained therein, without danger of spilling, and mounting means whereby the tray structure may be supported on one of the side rails of a conventional ladder and laterally outwardly of the side rail so as to be out of the path of travel ofa painter moving upwardly or downwardly on the ladder. The mounting means includes a brace member which engages the laterally outer side surface of the ladder side rail, the brace member having an angularly displaced portion or edge which engages an adjacent edge surface of the side rail to hold the tray against movement in one direction generally transversely of the rail. A generally U-shaped member having spaced generally parallel legs and an intermediate connecting portion, is adapted to straddle the ladder side rail, one of the legs, being pivotally mounted to the tray structure and the other being adapted to rest on one of the ladder rungs. Said other leg has an angularly displaced foot that engages an adjacent edge surface of the engaged ladder rail generally opposite to the angularly displaced edge of the brace member to hold the tray structure against movement in the opposite direction generally transversely of the ladder rail. The U-shaped member is movable on the tray structure in opposite directions axially of the legs to enable the tray to be horizontally disposed on the ladder side rails of various widths and disposed in different angularly spaced positions.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the paint tray of this invention mounted on a conventional ladder;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in top plan, on a reduced scale, some parts being broken away and some parts being shown in scctiomand FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly in end elevation, taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1, on a reduced scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the drawings, a conventional ladder is shown fragmentarily, and indicated generally by the numeral 1, comprising a pair of laterally spaced generally parallel side rails 2 connected by longitudinally spaced generally horizontal rungs 3. The side rails 2 are of generally rectangular cross section, the rungs 3 being relativelynarrow in cross section, the same being shown as cross-sectionally round. The ladder l in and of itself, does not comprise the instant invention. Hence, in the interest of brevity, further detailed showing and description thereof is omitted.

The paint tray structure of this invention, indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 4, comprises a generally rectangular open topped tray element 5 having a generally horizontally disposed flat bottom wall 6, opposed generally parallel side walls 7 and opposite end walls 8. The tray struc ture 4 further includes an inverted generally Ushaped handle 9 which includes a longitudinally extending generally horizon tal handgrip portion 10 disposed in overlying spaced relationship to the tray element 5, and a pair of depending portions 11 riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to adjacent ones of the tray element end walls 8, as indicated at 12. A clip 13 is suitably mounted on the outer one of the end walls 8, and cooperates with the adjacent handle depending portion 11 to support a conventional paintbrush shown by dotted lines in FIG. 1 and indicated at 14. A roller or applicator supporting member 15 is removably supported in the tray element 5 and includes a corrugated and perforated ramp portion 16 over which a conventional paint applicator roller, shown by dotted lines in FIG. 1 and indicated by the. numeral 17, is rolled for applying paint to the roller 17, and a trough portion 18 for supporting the roller 17 when not in use. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the trough portion 18 is formed to provide a plurality of drain openings 19 to the interior of the tray element 5.

Means for mounting the tray structure on the ladder 1 comprises a generally U-shaped member 20 having a pair of laterally spaced parallel legs 21 and] 22, and an intermediate connecting portion 23. The leg 21 is mounted in a bearing bracket 24 rigidly secured to the handle 9 adjacent one end of the handgrip portion 10 in overlying spaced relation to an ad jacent one of the end walls 8. The leg 21 extends in a direction generally parallel to the adjacent end wall 8 and is mounted in the-bearing bracket 24 for rotation on its own axis and for axial sliding movements relative to the tray element 5. A pair of stop washers or collars 25, rigidly mounted on the leg 21 is axially spaced relationship thereon, limit axial sliding movements of the leg 21 in the bearing bracket 24. With reference particularly to FIG. 2, it will be seen. that the bearing bracket 24 is of substantially shorter length than the leg 21 between the stop washers or collars 25. The generally U-shaped member 20 is adapted to straddle an adjacent one of the ladder side rails 2, with the adjacent end wall 8 and depending handle portion 11 engaging the laterally outer surface of the adjacent side rail 2. The leg 22 is adapted to be disposed in overlying engagement with a selected one of the ladder rungs 3, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the pivotal connection between the U-shaped member 20 and the tray structure 4 causing the tray structure 4 to gravitate downwardly into engagement of the adjacent end wall 8 and handle depending portion 11 with the laterally outer surface of the adjacent ladder side rail 2. The outer or free end of the leg 22 is formed to provide an angularly displaced foot portion 26 that is adapted to engage the adjacent edge surface 27 of the respective side rail 2 to limit movement of the tray structure 4 in one direction generally transversely of the ladder 1.

The mounting means further includes a brace member 28 that is preferably integrally formed with the bearing bracket 24 and which is secured therewith to the adjacent portion of the handle 9, the brace member 28 having an elongated portion 29 that is generally parallel to the legs 21 and 22 of the U- shaped member 20, and which engages the laterally outer surface of the adjacent ladder side rail 2 to prevent the tray element 5 from swinging movements relative to the ladder I. The brace member further includes an angularly displaced second portion 30 that engages the adjacent edge surface of the ladder side rail 2 generally opposite the foot portion 26, to hold the tray structure 4 against horizontal movement transversely of the ladder in a direction opposite the movement limited by the foot element 26.

As shown by full and dotted line positions in FIG. 2, the tray element 5 may be suspended from a ladder laterally outwardly thereof and maintained in a horizontal position with the ladder being disposed at various angular positions relative to the vertical. This is accomplished by placing the angular portion 30 of the brace member 28 against the adjacent edge surface of the side rail 2 and, while holding the tray in a horizontal position, moving the generally U-shaped member 20 in a direction axially of the legs 21 and 22 thereof to bring the foot portion 26 into engagement with the opposite edge surface 27 of the ladder side rail 2. When the angular position of the ladder 1 is adjust the generally U-shaped member to restore a level condition to the tray element 5. The pivotal mounting of the generally U-shaped member 20 in the bearing bracket 24 permits the paint tray structure of this invention to be mounted on ladders having side rails of various thicknesses as well as of various widths between the edge surface 27 and the opposite edge surface thereof. The weight of the tray structure 4 and materials carried thereby is sufficient to cause the tray structure to lie closely against the adjacent side surface of the respective side rail 2.

This invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of its purposes; and, while we have shown and described a preferred embodiment of our paint tray structure and mounting means therefor, it will be understood that the same is capable of modification without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the claims.

' We claim:

1. Paint tray structure and mounting means for supporting the same on a ladder having laterally spaced side rails and generally vertically spaced rungs between said rails, said tray structure including a generally rectangular open topped tray element having a bottom wall, opposed side walls and opposed end walls, one of said end walls being disposed to engage the laterally outer surface of one said ladder rails, said mounting means comprising a generally U-shaped member having spaced generally parallel legs and an intermediate connecting portion, and means pivotally connecting one of said legs to said tray structure, on a generally horizontal axis generally parallel to said ladder rail engaging end wall and for sliding movements ofsaid U-shaped member axially of said one of the legs thereof relative to said tray, said U'shaped member being disposed to straddle said one of the ladder side rails, whereby the other of said legs is disposed to engage said one rail in overlying engagement with one of the ladder rungs, said other leg having an angularly displaced ladder rail engaging foot portion and its end opposite said intermediate connecting portron.

2. The paint tray structure and mounting means therefore according to claim 1, characterized by a brace member mounted on said tray structure in upwardly spaced relation to said tray element, said brace member having an elongated portion generally parallel to the legs of said generally U- shaped member for engagement with said laterally outer ladder rail surface, said brace member having an angularly displaced second portion for engagement with said one ladder rail generally opposite said foot portion of the U-shapcd member.

3. The paint tray structure and mounting means therefor according to claim 1 in which said tray structure includes a handle having a generally horizontal hand grip portion and a pair of depending portions secured to said end walls and supporting the hand grip portion in overlying spaced relation to the tray element, said last mentioned means comprising a bearing bracket mounted on said handle.

4. The paint tray structure and mounting means therefor ac cording to claim 3 in which said bearing bracket is of a length axially of its respective U-shaped member leg substantially shorter than said respective leg, said leg being mounted in said bearing bracket for rotary and axial sliding movement relative thereto.

5. The paint tray structure and mounting means therefor according to claim 4 characterized by axially spaced stop elements on said bearing mounted leg of the U-shaped member and engaging said bearing bracket to axial movement of said Ushaped member relative to said bearing bracket. 

1. Paint tray structure and mounting means for supporting the same on a ladder having laterally spaced side rails and generally vertically spaced rungs between said rails, said tray structure including a generally rectangular open topped tray element having a bottom wall, opposed side walls and opposed end walls, one of said end walls being disposed to engage the laterally outer surface of one said ladder rails, said mounting means comprising a generally U-shaped member having spaced generally parallel legs and an intermediate connecting portion, and means pivotally connecting one of said legs to said tray structure on a generally horizontal axis generally parallel to said ladder rail engaging end wall and for sliding movements of said U-shaped member axially of said one of the legs thereof relative to said tray, said U-shaped member being disposed to straddle said one of the ladder side rails, whereby the other of said legs is disposed to engage said one rail in overlying engagement with one of the ladder rungs, said other leg having an angularly displaced ladder rail engaging foot portion and its end opposite said intermediate connecting portion.
 2. The paint tray structure and mounting means therefore according to claim 1, characterized by a brace member mounted on said tray structure in upwardly spaced relation to said tray element, said brace member having an elongated portion generally parallel to the legs of said generally U-shaped member for engagement with said laterally outer ladder rail surface, said brace member having an angularly displaced second portion for engagement with said one ladder rail generally opposite said foot portion of the U-shaped member.
 3. The paint tray structure and mounting means therefor according to claiM 1 in which said tray structure includes a handle having a generally horizontal hand grip portion and a pair of depending portions secured to said end walls and supporting the hand grip portion in overlying spaced relation to the tray element, said last mentioned means comprising a bearing bracket mounted on said handle.
 4. The paint tray structure and mounting means therefor according to claim 3 in which said bearing bracket is of a length axially of its respective U-shaped member leg substantially shorter than said respective leg, said leg being mounted in said bearing bracket for rotary and axial sliding movement relative thereto.
 5. The paint tray structure and mounting means therefor according to claim 4 characterized by axially spaced stop elements on said bearing mounted leg of the U-shaped member and engaging said bearing bracket to axial movement of said U-shaped member relative to said bearing bracket. 